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A Memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith
Letters 1819
Sydney Smith to Lady Grey, 12 January 1819
INTRODUCTION & INDEXES
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
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Author's Preface
Contents
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Index
Editor’s Preface
Letters 1801
Letters 1802
Letters 1803
Letters 1804
Letters 1805
Letters 1806
Letters 1807
Letters 1808
Letters 1809
Letters 1810
Letters 1811
Letters 1812
Letters 1813
Letters 1814
Letters 1815
Letters 1816
Letters 1817
Letters 1818
Letters 1819
Letters 1820
Letters 1821
Letters 1822
Letters 1823
Letters 1824
Letters 1825
Letters 1826
Letters 1827
Letters 1828
Letters 1829
Letters 1830
Letters 1831
Letters 1832
Letters 1833
Letters 1834
Letters 1835
Letters 1836
Letters 1837
Letters 1838
Letters 1839
Letters 1840
Letters 1841
Letters 1842
Letters 1843
Letters 1844
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Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
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January 12th, 1819.
Dear Lady Grey,

Do you know any sensible, agreeable person of the name of Allen, a bachelor, and a layman? There is likely to be a vacancy soon in Dulwich College, and no such person as I have described can be found.

I have no shyness with strangers, and care not where and with whom I dine. Today I dined with Sir Henry Torrens, the Duke of York’s secretary, and found him a very gentleman-like, civilized man, with what would pass in the army for a good understanding. I was very well pleased with all I saw, for he has six elegant, pretty children, and a very comfortable villa at Pulham; his rooms were well lighted, warmed in the most agreeable, luxurious manner with Russian stoves, and his dinner excellent. Everything was perfectly comfortable. What is the use of fish or venison, when the backbone is six degrees below the freezing-point? Of all miserable habitations, an English house, either in very hot or very cold weather, is the worst.

My little boy, whom you were so good as to inquire about, is quite well, and returned to Westminster. He has fought two or three battles successfully, and is at the head of his class.

I hope Lord Grey liked Burdett’s letter to Cobbett. It is excellent, and will do that consummate villain some mischief; he is still a great deal read.

I passed four hours yesterday with my children in the British Museum: it is now put on the best possible footing, and exhibited courteously and publicly to all. The visitors when I was there were principally
MEMOIR OF THE REV. SYDNEY SMITH.169
maid-servants. Fifty thousand people saw it last year. My kindest regards, if you please, to my young friends, and to the excellent Lord of Howick.

Ever my dear Lady Grey, yours most truly,
Sydney Smith.

I am going to Bath next week, to see my father, aged eighty.